Bills Express Interest In RB Frank Gore
The Bills have expressed interest in veteran running back Frank Gore, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Gore himself was “eyeing” the Packers, per Barrows, but Green Bay has indicated its comfortable with its current running back depth chart.
The Colts have no intention of re-signing Gore, but the 34-year-old believes he can play for at least one more NFL campaign, reports Barrows. However, he has specific conditions for which he is searching in his next team. First, Gore wants to be a contributor — while it doesn’t sound as though Gore will require a starting role, he clearly wants to be significantly involved in an offense. Second, Gore prefers to play for a contender in what could be his final NFL season.
While Buffalo would meet that second criterion after earning a postseason berth in 2017, the Bills wouldn’t be able to offer Gore anything close to a starting job. LeSean McCoy finished second in the NFL with 287 carries a season ago, and he’s likely to be Buffalo’s offensive focal point in 2018. The Bills might aim to limit McCoy’s touches as he enters his 30s, but Mike Tolbert — Buffalo’s No. 2 running back last year — handled only 66 carries in 2017.
That Green Bay would not be interested in adding Gore shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, as the club has several young running backs on its roster. The Packers drafted three running backs in 2017, and two of them — Jamaal Williams and Aaron Jones — showed the upside of a long-term starter in their rookie seasons. The other rookie, Devante Mays, is still in Green Bay, as is Ty Montgomery, the wideout-turned-back who was the Packers’ starter to open the year.
Now hoping to play his 14th NFL campaign, Gore averaged only 3.7 yards per carry on 261 rushes while scoring three times last season. While he wasn’t a key part of the Colts’ passing attack, he did manage 29 receptions for 245 yards and one touchdown. If he’s active in 2017, Gore will almost certainly pass Curtis Martin for fourth on the all-time rushing yards list.
NFL Draft Rumors: Griffin, Lions, Jets
UCF linebacker Shaquem Griffin did wonders for his draft stock by running a 4.38 second 40-yard-dash, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) reports. Griffin is getting considerable buzz in Indianapolis and one head coach remarked to Rapoport that Griffin may have put himself in consideration as a fourth-round pick. Teams were wary about Griffin’s ability to play at the next level because of his amputated left hand. They’re looking at him in a whole new light now, though Rapoport says that evaluators are now going back to the tape to see if Griffin plays as fast as he looked at the combine. Griffin’s 4.38 was the fastest recorded time for a linebacker at the combine in more than a decade.
Here’s more on the NFL Draft:
- Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, Boise State linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, and Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen are all on the rise after strong showings in the combine, Rapoport reports (on Twitter). Allen was once viewed as a second-tier QB in this year’s draft, behind USC’s Sam Darnold and UCLA’s Josh Rosen. There’s no longer a clear consensus on the order of this year’s top signal callers with talk that Allen and Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield are climbing boards league-wide.
- We’ve been hearing a lot about Vander Esch’s rise in particular in recent weeks. LVE’s 4.65 second 40-yard-dash was faster than expected and Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com hears that he could go as high as No. 14 when the Packers are called to the podium. Pauline’s understanding is that he won’t get past the Steelers at No. 28 and the Eagles, who pick at No. 32, have already come to the conclusion that he’ll be gone by then.
- Delaware defensive tackle Bilal Nichols is a name to watch for the Jets and Lions, according to Pauline. Nichols tweaked his hamstring during the 40-yard-dash and was unable to finish the drill, but he should be ready to go before his pro day on March 20.
Aaron Rodgers’ Deal On Hold Until Kirk Cousins Signs?
It’s looking like the Packers and Aaron Rodgers are going to wrap up an extension this offseason, but the two-time MVP’s deal may be on hold for a bit while unique NFL business unfolds.
Rodgers and the Packers continue to discuss a re-up, Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com reports (on Twitter). But this deal is not believed to be done until after Kirk Cousins chooses a destination.
Cousins is expected to sign for around $30MM per year, possibly becoming the league’s first $30MM-AAV player. And with the sizable gap between Rodgers and Cousins’ accomplishments, it would make sense for the Green Bay centerpiece to wait and see how the quarterback market looks after Cousins and Drew Brees sign their next contracts.
We heard earlier this week Rodgers and the Packers had begun negotiations, and Robinson heard recently the parties were “extremely close.” But the Yahoo reporter believes this seismic extension won’t commence until Cousins signs.
Currently, Rodgers’ 2013 extension — which runs through 2019 — pays him $22MM annually. That number sits eighth on the salary spectrum. The Cousins and Brees deals figure to bump that figure down to 10th. But going into the 2018 season, the quarterback landscape will likely look incredibly different. Matthew Stafford‘s $27MM-per-year deal topped this hierarchy going into last season, and Andrew Luck‘s $24.6MM-AAV agreement led the pack going into the ’16 campaign.
Between Rodgers’ April 2013 signing and Derek Carr‘s June 2017 extension, the quarterback market had only ventured north by $3MM per year over a four-year period despite the salary cap having gone up by more than $40MM in that span. But once Cousins and Rodgers’ deals are done, there may be two $30MM-per-season earners in the NFL. And with Matt Ryan entering a contract year, there could be a third at some point in the near future as well.
Packers To Appeal Bennett Ruling
- Earlier this week, we learned that an arbitrator had ruled against the Packers in their effort to recoup a portion of Martellus Bennett‘s $6.3MM signing bonus. Writing for the team’s website, CEO Mark Murphy said the team plans on appealing the decision. “We think the decision was flawed and plan to appeal,” Murphy wrote. “The appeals go to a panel of three arbitrators.” The CEO told ESPN’s Rob Demovsky that the team “lost their bid to recoup signing bonus money in part because the Patriots claimed Bennett off waivers and therefore picked up his contract.”
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Packers, Rodgers Have Discussed Extension
While Kirk Cousins is likely to unseat Jimmy Garoppolo for the richest contract in NFL history once free agency kicks off, his reign might not be a long one. That’s because the Packers and two-time MVP Aaron Rodgers have already begun working on a new contract, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky writes. 
Green Bay’s president Mark Murphy told ESPN the two sides have made progress on a new deal despite the quarterback being signed through the 2019 campaign. “We’ve had discussions with his representative. I have a lot of confidence in Brian [Gutekunst] and Russ [Ball] and Aaron as well. We want to create a win-win.”
In 2013, Rodgers signed a five-year, $110 MM deal to become the NFL’s highest-paid player. Demovsky notes Rodgers now ranks sixth among the league’s top salaries. At 34 years old, Rodgers can conceivably play at least five more years barring injury. He is scheduled to make $20.6 MM this year and $21.1 MM in 2019, according to overthecap.com. Should the two sides reach a speedy agreement, the Packers could add to their current $16 MM in salary cap space.
A six-time Pro Bowl selection and one-time Super Bowl champion, Rodgers got off to a quick start in 2017 before breaking his collarbone in Week 6. He finished the season with 1,675 yards and 16 touchdowns. The campaign marked Rodgers’ second season with at least seven missed games due to injury in the last five seasons.
Packers Won’t Recoup Bennett’s Bonus
An arbitrator has ruled against the Packers in their effort to recoup a portion of Martellus Bennett‘s $6.3MM signing bonus, Mike Florio of PFT tweets. Because the Packers waived Bennett and his contract was assumed by another team (the Patriots), the arbitrator deemed that Green Bay is unable to recover the money given to the tight end at the time of signing. 
The Packers, with the support of the league office, argued that Bennett should refund his signing bonus because he had not disclosed a pre-existing shoulder injury to the team last year. Even Bennett did keep his rotator cuff tear under wraps, the Packers did not have a clear path to get their money back after the Pats assumed his deal.
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen what the Patriots will do with the contract that they hold with Bennett. The veteran only played in two games for the Patriots before landing on IR, but he is reportedly intent on playing in 2018. His contract calls for a $6.2MM cap hit this year and the Patriots must pay him a $2MM roster bonus if he’s still on the team on March 14.
Salary Cap Rollover For All 32 NFL Teams
This week, the NFLPA updated its salary cap report to include the rollover amounts for all 32 teams in the NFL. The Browns, as expected, lead the league in $58.9MM in cap space rolled over from the previous season. Here is the full rundown of each team’s rollover amounts:
After the Browns, the 49ers ($56MM), Titans ($30.3MM), Jaguars ($27.8MM), and Jets ($17.3MM) boast the highest rollover amounts in the league. The Dolphins ($69K), Saints ($287K), Giants ($365K), Eagles ($514K), and the Seahawks ($547K) have the least amount of rollover. In total, teams carried over nearly $340MM from last season, good for an average of $10.6MM per club.
Dougherty: Packers Need Better QB2
- The Packers‘ strategy at backup quarterback put them in danger in 2013, when Aaron Rodgers‘ first collarbone injury occurred, and burned them last season after Rodgers suffered a similar malady. Multiple scouts who spoke with Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette said the Packers need to prioritize their backup quarterback more appropriately, with one making a notable claim the position was on par with left tackle in terms of importance. While that seems extreme, Rodgers has now missed 16 games between those two seasons. Dougherty mentions Sam Bradford as a possibility while one scout named Matt Moore and Ryan Fitzpatrick as superior options to Brett Hundley. Bradford indicated he plans to play in 2018 despite his injury history, but teams pining for Kirk Cousins may view he or A.J. McCarron as contingency plans as starters.
NFL Awards Compensatory Picks To 15 Teams
The NFL has awarded 15 compensatory draft picks to teams, as directed by the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The compensatory pick system provides additional picks to teams who lose more/better qualifying free agents in the previous year than gained.
This year, the 32 comp picks were dispersed to 15 different teams. Here is the complete rundown:
Round 3
- No. 97 overall – Cardinals
- No. 98 overall – Texans
- No. 99 overall – Broncos
- No. 100 overall – Bengals
Round 4
- No. 133 overall – Packers
- No. 134 overall – Cardinals
- No. 135 overall – Giants
- No. 136 overall – Patriots
- No. 137 overall – Cowboys
Round 5
- No. 170 overall – Bengals
- No. 171 overall – Cowboys
- No. 172 overall – Packers
- No. 173 overall – Cowboys
- No. 174 overall – Packers
Round 6
- No. 207 overall – Packers
- No. 208 overall – Cowboys
- No. 209 overall – Chiefs
- No. 210 overall – Raiders
- No. 211 overall – Texans
- No. 212 overall – Raiders
- No. 213 overall – Vikings
- No. 214 overall – Texans
- No. 215 overall – Ravens
- No. 216 overall – Raiders
- No. 217 overall – Raiders
- No. 218 overall – Vikings
Round 7
- No. 251 overall – Chargers
- No. 252 overall – Bengals
- No. 253 overall – Bengals
- No. 254 overall – Cardinals
- No. 255 overall – Buccaneers
- No. 256 overall – Falcons
The Bengals, Cowboys, Packers and Raiders lead the way in comp picks this year with four. The Cardinals and Texans each snagged three, the Vikings own two, and the Falcons, Ravens, Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, Patriots, Giants, and Buccaneers each have one.
Mike Pettine Discusses Clay Matthews
- While veteran defender Clay Matthews has been viewed as a potential candidate for release, the Packers and new defensive coordinator Mike Pettine could see enough value in Matthews to stave off a parting of ways, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “When you can move guys around and trade jobs, not just within game but week to week, because a big part of offense is identifying who the rushers are and what positions they’re playing,” said Pettine in discussing Matthews’ ability to play inside and outside linebacker. “When you have guys like that, the creative part, you can do a lot more with those players.” Matthews ranked as the league’s No. 27 edge defender in 2017, per Pro Football Focus, which assigned the 31-year-old his highest grade since 2012. The Packers could clear the entirety of Matthews’ ~$11.369MM cap charge by cutting him this offseason.